Sixte aemand coupal



Sept. 7,1926.

s. A. COUPAL TENT Filed June 25, 1925 3 sheets-heet 1 atto'm wax Sept.

$.A.COUPAL TENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25, 1925 w zw i q in closecompassfor storage or transportar.

tion, is of such geometrical form and construction and so trussed, without the use "of obstructing centerpoles, as to be capable of l Patented Sept. 7, 1926.

. UNIT ara's 'srxrrn ARMANI) ooUPAQ-or ertnn rs rAss, citation. l

-. TENTQ Application fii jiu e 25,1525. Serial noises;

This invention relates f to improvements. in. tents, and has for its special object the provision of a tent which,.w-hile light in weight and capable ofbeing easily and conveniently o set up for use andtaken down and packed resisting high wind pressures and to be tipreof against collapseyor of'being blown over in any ordinary wind storm.

A further object ofthe invention is to uses and inall climates and on all kinds of surfaces, for camping out purposes, wherev the use of a tent of great lightness of weight, maximum degree-of portability, and proof Z'against the action oft'he elements under all up tent, showing its geometrical form; v v

v Figure 21s a section thereof on line 22 v tubular metal staffs and normal conditions, isdesirable.

joined description, the invention consists of ixthe features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying draw ngs, in which Figure 1. .isa view in elevation vof these'tof Figure l.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the set-j up tent, viewed from the front and one Side, I and showing the same partially broken awaytoexpose the interior truss framing Figure 4 is a top 'planview. of a portion of the sectional tetrapod truss frame.

Figure 5 is asectionalelevationthereof. Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of the upper extension sectionsof two o-fthe features of construction thereof.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section through staffs of the tetrapod truss frame, showing:

one of-the staffs in extended condition.

detail section on line; 9 9

Figure 9 is a of Figure 8. a

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view in elevation showing one of the-three nee-ted therewith.

FigurelO isja' sectional perspective view looking down upon a staffa-nd illustrating staff which may; beemployed.

provide a tent which is adapted, by reason I of itsnovel andimproved and special strucfitural features and characteristics,- for all I v through the coupl'enhead onthe WVith these and other objects in view," I which will appear in the course of the suba brace bar con-' I modified form ,whichmay be employed.

F;igure; l2 is 'a similar View of another slightly modified sectional tubular; metallic Wooden staff.

Figure 1 6 is a cross-section, on of F lgure i .Flgure 17 1s a'view-si' sections.

Figure 18 is asectionalplan view on line l 8-' l 8 of Figure l7. .Fgure -19 is a vertical ilar to Figures. showing amodification in the means for connecting the staffs or legs of; the frame I section .7 taken plane indiigure 21' V sa Side elevation of one tr connected therewith.

legsections and showing the icoupler parts;

- I n carrying my invention, into, practice, .I provide,a tent 1, madeof canvas, ducking or other suitable :ma'teriali f and having four s des or walls 2', each of triangular shapeand producing a tent, body of pyramidal I form I Th s tent body is, provided rwith a a0- floorpor b ottom wall, 3, which may be of heavyz canvas, duckingor other: heavy tent' material, and which isjoined toqthejlower j edgesof the walls'2. Thisflexible tent bot tom closes the base of the-tent bodyiagainst the entrance ofdi'rt,dust,- snow, rain, etc.,

ancL'also against the entrance: of any dis-- turbing gusts of air liable in stormy weather to disturb the. equilibrium ortstability ofthe tent structure.

tent structure 1 may be provided with any i suitable type'of door a to afford ingress and One of the walls f the egress to the occupants thereof.

The tent body is held supported at, the cornerangles of the walls'along the pyramidal conformation maintained by an internal framinghaving supporting and bracing characteristics. This framing is of. tetrapod typefand comprises. four corner staffs or legs 5, fleach preferably offolding V or, extensiontype, said staffs beingarranged their order of arran ement with res ect to.

i which maybe employed, the stali therein ess 1?. 1

staff in this case is the same as that of staflf' 5 with the exception noted and with the further exception of'a slight modification inthe form and construction of the coupling arm and pin ofthe staff provided therewith. shown, this coupling arm 18? may be slightly" curved and provided with an opening for the reception of a removable couphngp n 19 of the 'sta'li' 5 or two tubular sections a tubular sections .6 T fand 8 reversedIfin the structur of the staff 5, that is; to say, the top stali? SQClIiOD 'ti being the largest 111 diameter, the int'ermediate""stall" section 7? of meandiameter and the 'lower'statl section 8 of smallest diameter. In, this'case, the

strongeststaii' section is at the top and gives increased bracing strength at this point, so

that'if desired, the interlocking connections at the upper ends'of the staffs may be dis pensed with/and said staffs providedfwith, angular or inclined ahutmentsurfaces 26fto rest against onelanother,"sothat by the use of the coupling ring 20 engaging the notches 21' the staff members may beheld joined in affirin and rigid manner and without 'addi" tional fastenings. i Figures 13 and another modified form'of sta'fi construction shown consisting of two half round wooden sections '6 and'8 thesectionfi carryinga sliding sleeve 27 embracing the section 8 and the latter being provided with a pivoted loclzin ring 28 embracin the section 6 and O o b adapted for 'interlockii'ig engagement be tween any two of'a series of headed pins or locking projections 29 thereon forad justably locking the sections together to pro in given limits.

and adjusting said ringto an angular position the slidahle motion of 'one staffsec tion wth respect to the other will he'perniitted for adjusting and collapsing operations,

, as indicated in dotted "lines in Figure" 13.

provided on three of the posts orilegs for coaction wlth a suitable type of coupling The staff section 6 in this case is provided with a coupling bracket 16 having an aper tured eye 17 ,.which.type of bracket may be pin'fbracket on the fourth prop or leg.

In Figures :15 and 16 have shown an other slightly modified form of prop or stafi I y 'In Figure 12 I have shown still another modified form of pole or staff 5?-,. which may consist of three tubular sections as in case 3 3? case ofthe stafi: '5. In thefpresent instance i the staff 5 is shown as comprising three storage or shipment; V 1 r In' Figures -17to 21, 14 I have shown still larj'forin in cross-section. These two sectiOnsare hingedly' unlted at their; ad aCent jends,as"at 30, adaptingthe same to he dis posed end for end in longitudinal 'alinenient,

g-conformingsomewhat in structure tothat jshown in Figures Band 14, fand wherein' 1 the ,propfismade of two sections G Iand 8 of wood,,each prop section beingof triangufor servicef use, or swung on their hinge connection: to a position in parallel relation fer "storage or transportation.

adapted to 'be arranged to embrace the" hinged ends ofthe prop sections to hold the. same in alinement and against pivotalmove. ment 1 when adapt-ed for-service operation, {which sleeve maybe slid upward on thesection'6 asshowninfdotted lines, to-Teigposeg the hinge joint and permitsaid prop. sec

tions to he folded or 'eollapsed. 'A loclzing pin 32 is providedon the section 8? to hold the sleeve 31 from slipping downward be-.

yo-nd a predetermined position 'when disposed to'hold the hinged ends ofthelprop sec tions rigid. By making the props of tri angular form in cross sectio'n a set of legs or props of this type, when folded, may he grouped and tied very closely. together, as

shown in Figure 16, so, as to occupy very smallspace when the outfit is collapsed ltor.

shown a modification; in the: means i for con nectlng theilegsof the frarni'ngi As; shown therein, I, provide a coupler headiconsistin-g v "of 'a'pair, of inverted U-shapedmemhers' 33, preferably madeyof' spring strap ineta'lj and arranged at right angles to each' o'ther; The

return bend portions/of these. members are inclusive, I have I arranged in crossed 'relati'onfand connected by fastening means, such as a bolt 34. ,The

'le s 35,-of these m'embers-de end and are a: P V

arranged so as toeXtend'into the upper-ends;

[of the legsection's 8 A coupler ring 36,

similar to the} Iing 20, is provided to-seat" notches 37 and'hold the ring from displacementftherefrom. Each leg 351is provided withaj opening 39 in the leg section Si n hereby the coupler leg 35 and leg section 8? of the framing are held interlocked and from displacement. v The locking pins 38 areheld withinf notches '37; in the end s of the legs it I 8* a'ndto he heldtherein thecoupler legs 135,' which extend downwardly across the locking pin :38 to engageca locking I henjgage-dw'ith e op gs 39 by the bowing f;

or spring action of the legs 35, which have] V suh'ic'lent resiliency Z to permit them to vhe pressed hack for a releasing actionso-that the parts can be readily disconnected when desired. This construction provides a type" of coupler or fastening "connection which will 'hold the leg sections of the tetrapod frame securely assemhled while admitting a v toi'feachotlierltor folding into close compass 1 u Asliding sleeve 3lfis' provided on the prop, which is.

of their easy and quick disassembl age. The

bolt 34 may form a pivotal connection be disassembled and the parts thereof collapsed and packed with the collapsed tent in very" close compass for storage or transportation; It w1ll' thus be seen that the tent structure affords great convenience in setting up and I taking down operations, as well as in trans porting the same on marches or from place to place for use, and in storing the same away when its use is not required.

A great advantage of myten't structure is that, owing to its geometric formation, and

its type of internal bracing, it entirely dispenses with the use of interfering center poles, or of weighty poles for holding" the tent in position against weight collapse or wind pressures, as well as the" use of outside stakes and guys or other external bracing and anchoring means, all of the" tent supports being wholly enclosed and in such close relationship to the Walls of thet e nt as to leave the entire interior space of the tent free for occupa 'i'cy'. Owing to the factthat the tcnt'body from bottom to top is of py 'ramida'l form, it ofl'er'son all sides surface resistance that is predominai'itly greater at its base and at the same time so inclined that the impact of the wind on of its walls produces a greater lateral and downward pressure than it does in the horizontal direction, the pressure of the wind, in other words, serving to increase the anchorage hold of the tent at its base, instead of ten'd' ing to destroy the equilibrium of the tent or to push it away from its anchorage. The natural result of this is that such a tent will maintain its erectposition, and will not be blown over or displaced from its established position under any normal circumstances or under wind pressures even to the extent of gales, so long as its original geometric shape ispreserve'd. The tent being made of flexible material, reliance is placed, for the pres ervation of its geometric shape, upon the internal bracing, and this internal bracing, as constructed, is designed. to give the highestpossible internal resistance to any change in the formation of thetent walls or of the tent body itself under ind pressures falling upon any of the surfaces thereof. Assuming that the Wind pressure strikes one of the side walls of the tent. anv one of them, the

1,592); are

legs areas tetra'pod frame as that side of are "tent will receive and sustain the impact of noted, act as propping or trusslbracing elements, it w'illjb'e' observed that they lie at such a propping angle that they prop at a high e'leratioii against a force at the impact side", where the impact is mainly at a lower point, sothat there will be opposed to the 'displa'cing force of the wind the angular resistance' of the apex of the structure, to-

geth'e'rwith therecta'nguljar and surface resistance' of' th e' floor, combined with the resistance. of the cross braces of the frame structure, all acting and contributing to establish a resistance against collapse or displacement of the tent greater than the wind forces exerted thereagainst under all normal conditions, up to the pressures of high gales, so that disequilibrium of the tent and its established position will not be disturbed. Actual tests show that a tent and reinforcing frami g: of the construction herein disclosed will maintain the conformation ofthe' tent under very high wind pressures with the use of very light structural ele-- ments in the formation of the frame structure. By the provision of the tent floor, of flexible type and joined to the tent walls, it will be apparent that rain, snow,- dustsand dirt will be er'cluded', as well as air pressures tending to disturb the stability of the tent,

and that in case of a wind the air pressure upon the tent walls, tendingto force the tent downwardly, will cause the tent bottom to exert a frictional resistance against the ground or other surface on which it rests which is multiplied in direct ratio with the strength of impact of the wind, whereby the resistance of the-tent to displacement from its side practically ensures firm anchorage of the tent underall conditions of service.

The tent will therefore maintain its position on all surfaces, except possibly on a slippery 1 surface, such as ice, under very heavy wind pressures, but when used on ice may be held by auxiliary means against sliding displacement with theuse of less anchorage equipment than is required under ordinary con ditions in tent construction;

Having thus fully described my invent-ion, I claim: v a v 1. A tent having. four walls, each of tri angular shape and providing a tent body of pyramidal form, a tetrapod frame formed of corner props extending from bottom to top of the tent body at the corner angles of its walls, said props having interlocking connections at their upper ends; a coupling and of pyramidal form and having a flexible bottom continuous with its walls, a tetrapod frame formed of corner props extending from bottom to top of the tent body at the corner angles of its walls, said propshaving Y interengaging interlocking connections at their upper ends, a coupling and bracing member embracing the props below and adjacent to their coupled upper ends, and

bracing connections between the props and across said walls, arranged below said cou pling and bracingmember and at a point between the same andthe horizotal center of the tent. 3. A tent comprising a tent body of pyramidal form, a tetrapod frame formed of corner props extending from bottom to top of the tent body, said props having their upper ends converging and provided with readily releasable interlocking connections, and said props being provided adjacent to andbelow their interlocking upper ends with grooves, a coupling and embracing band engaging said grooves in the props, and bracing connections between the props and acrossthe-tent walls, said bracing connections being disposed beneath said coupling and embracing band and between the same and the horizontal center of the tent body.

4. A tentcomprising a flexible tent body at pyramidal form, a tetrapod frame formed of corner props extending from bottom to top of the tent ,body, said props having their upper ends converging and provided with readily releasable interlocking means, and

each prop comprising at least a hollowsection provided with a slot, a coupling and,

bracing band embracing the props adjacent to and below their interlocking ends, and

bracing connections extending between the props at a point between said band and the horizontal center of the tent, said connec-' tions having hooked ends engaging the slots in the props.

5. A tent comprising a pyramidal tent body,'supporting props at the corners of the 7 body and extending to the apex of the body, interlocking means detaclialbly connecting the upper converging ends of said props, the props being provided with grooves or recesses, and a locking and bracing ban-d ex tending around the props and engagingthe grooves or recesses therein.

SIXTE ARMAND COUPAL.

j .'In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature. 7 

